Former South Point standout hopes Duke will keep it going in Chick-Fil-A Bowl

By Richard Walker

Published: Monday, December 30, 2013 at 11:19 AM.

But at 0-2 in the ACC earlier this season, Duke rallied from a 22-0 deficit to win 35-22 at Virginia – and the Blue Devils didn’t lose again until 45-7 to No. 1-ranked Florida State in the Dec. 7 ACC championship game.

“Last year, our biggest nemesis was not holding on in late-game situations,” Ginn said. “So we’ve just pulled together even more. We were close last year and we’re closer this year.

“Last year, we thought we could. This year, we believed we could. We’d been to a bowl game and done what people didn’t think we could do. We just have this ‘We can do it’ mentality.”

Ginn says his teammates are determined to make this year’s bowl game end on a victorious note.

“It’s going to be great to get there, but we’re not going to be satisfied with just getting there,” Ginn said. “We want to go and finish. We've finished all year long and we’ll be working to win the game.”

Ginn has spent both seasons at Duke as a reserve lineman. He played offensive tackle in five games last year as the Blue Devils went 6-7 and he’s played in three games this season.

“I’ve been a part of the team,” Ginn said. “Would I like to play? Everybody does. But I’ve accepted where I am and I’m working hard to get better. Everybody on this team has been in it together all season long.

DURHAM – When the 2013 college football season began, Duke was mired in its usual spot in the ACC preseason rankings – last.

Instead of fulfilling those low expectations, the Blue Devils did what they have continued to do under two-time ACC coach of the year David Cutcliffe.

They played hard, played well and finished with a season beyond the expectations of even the most ardent Duke fan.

But while the current 10-3 record has surprised everybody nationally, it hasn’t surprised Belmont’s Carson Ginn, a redshirt sophomore offensive lineman for the Blue Devils.

“We were picked last in the preseason in our division, but we want to show the world we're here to stay,” said Ginn, whose team ends its season against Texas A&M on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Atlanta’s Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Of course, Ginn has heard the same questions about Duke since he chose to play for the Blue Devils after completing his South Point High career in 2010.

“The questions were like, ‘Why did you choose Duke?’ and ‘Why go there and lose?’” said Ginn, a member of the 2009 N.C. 3AA state championship team and an All-Gazette lineman in 2010. “But I could see it in coach Cut's eyes. He’s fought to get better, he’s got a great staff and it’s extremely gratifying to turn this around. But we still haven’t convinced everybody.”

That includes Vegas oddsmakers who have installed Duke as a 12-point underdog against the Aggies high-scoring offense that features 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.

And, from a historical perspective, Duke faces long odds.

The Blue Devils have set history with the first back-to-back bowl appearances in school history, but last year’s 48-34 loss to Cincinnati in Charlotte’s Belk Bowl means Duke still hasn’t won a postseason game since the 1960 season.

But the Blue Devils have made proving others wrong their mission the past two seasons, first by snapping a bowl drought that dated to 1994 last season and this year by winning the Coastal Division of the ACC with the school’s first 10-win season.

“It's been a great ride,” Ginn said. “It really has. As a team, we expected it.”

Duke’s greatest success has been in maintaining late-game leads or forging late-game comebacks.

A year ago, it was their weakness.

But at 0-2 in the ACC earlier this season, Duke rallied from a 22-0 deficit to win 35-22 at Virginia – and the Blue Devils didn’t lose again until 45-7 to No. 1-ranked Florida State in the Dec. 7 ACC championship game.

“Last year, our biggest nemesis was not holding on in late-game situations,” Ginn said. “So we’ve just pulled together even more. We were close last year and we’re closer this year.

“Last year, we thought we could. This year, we believed we could. We’d been to a bowl game and done what people didn’t think we could do. We just have this ‘We can do it’ mentality.”

Ginn says his teammates are determined to make this year’s bowl game end on a victorious note.

“It’s going to be great to get there, but we’re not going to be satisfied with just getting there,” Ginn said. “We want to go and finish. We've finished all year long and we’ll be working to win the game.”

Ginn has spent both seasons at Duke as a reserve lineman. He played offensive tackle in five games last year as the Blue Devils went 6-7 and he’s played in three games this season.

“I’ve been a part of the team,” Ginn said. “Would I like to play? Everybody does. But I’ve accepted where I am and I’m working hard to get better. Everybody on this team has been in it together all season long.

“I’m going to work hard in the offseason to get another role, but I’m really glad to be a part of this team no matter what my role is.”

You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22